Ekberg, Joakim

Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Social Medicine and Public Health Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences.

Kowalski, Jan

Linköping University, Department of Department of Health and Society, Division of Preventive and Social Medicine and Public Health Science. Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences. Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences.

Nilsson, Sverker

Linköping University, Department of Department of Health and Society, Division of Preventive and Social Medicine and Public Health Science. Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences. Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences.

Renstrom, Per

Abstract [en]

Background Epidemiological studies have mainly been performed on team sports. The authors set out to develop a protocol for large-scale epidemiological studies of injuries among elite athletics athletes. Methods An argument-based method for investigation of complex design problems was used to structure the collection and analysis of data. Specification of the protocol was preceded by an examination of requirements on injury surveillance in individual sports and iterated drafting of protocol specifications, and followed by formative evaluations. Results The requirements analysis shows that the central demand on the protocol is to allow for detailed epidemiological analyses of overuse injuries, which subsequently requires regular collection of self-reported data from athletes. The resulting study protocol is centred on a web-based weekly athlete e-diary enabling continual collection of individual-level data on exposure and injuries. To be able to interpret the self-reported data on injury events, collection of a wide range of personal baseline data from the athlete, including a psychological profile, is included in the protocol. Conclusions The resulting protocol can be employed in intervention programmes that can prevent suffering among both adult elite and youth talent athletes who have made considerable life investments in their sport.

Jacobsson, Jenny

Abstract [en]

The aims of this thesis were to outline the design protocol for a prospective clinical epidemiological study of injuries among athletics athletes; study the 1-year prevalence, the point prevalence and incidence of injuries in total cohorts of Swedish elite adult and talented youth athletics athletes; pinpoint the risk indicators and factors for different injury types/patterns in athletics.

In paper I, an argument-based method to investigate complex design problems was used to structure the collection and analysis of data. A requirement analysis showed that a central requirement of an injury surveillance protocol for elite athletics should allow for detailed epidemiological analyses of overuse injuries, requiring self-reported data from athletes. The resulting study protocol was centred on a web-based weekly athlete e-diary enabling continuous collection of individual-level data on exposure and injuries.

In paper II, the prevalence of injuries was examined and 278 athletes (87%) of the enrolled study population submitted their assessments via the web survey. The overall 1-year retrospective injury prevalence was 42.8% (95% CI 36.9–49.0%). The point prevalence of ongoing injury was 35.4% (95% CI 29.7–41.4%). The 1-year injury prevalence showed a tendency to vary with regard to gender and age (p = 0.11). The diagnostic group that displayed the highest 1-year prevalence (20.9%, 95% CI 16.2–22.2%) and point prevalence (23.2%, 95% CI 18.4–28.7%) of injury was inflammation and pain with gradual onset.

In paper III, during the 52-week period, 292 athletes (91% of the study population) submitted weekly reports reporting a cumulative injury incidence of 3.57 injuries per 1000 hours of exposure to athletics. Most injuries (73%) were reported from training. There was a statistically significant difference with regard to gender and age in the proportion of athletes who avoided injury (P=0.043). Differences between event groups could not be statistically demonstrated (P=0.937). Ninety-six percent of the reported injuries were nontraumatic (associated with overuse). About every second injury (51%) was severe, causing a period of absence from normal training exceeding 3 weeks. Seventy-seven percent of the injuries occurred in lower extremities.

In paper IV, 199 (68%) athletes reported an injury during the study year. The median time to first injury was 101 days (95% confidence interval (CI) 75–127). Univariate log-rank tests revealed risk differences with regard to athlete category (p = 0.046), serious injury (>3 weeks time loss) during the previous season (p = 0.039) and training load rank index (TLRI) (p = 0.019). Athletes in the third and fourth TLRI quartile had almost a twofold increased risk of injury compared to the first quartile. Youth male athletes with a previous serious injury had more than a fourfold increased risk of injury compared with youth females with no previous injury.